Getting the message across: A Peircean analysis of environmental websites

When it comes to environmental sustainability, opinions often run deep. In one extreme are people that believe humans have not, nor can they, do anything to the earth that will jeopardize its future. The other extreme blames humanity for all of earth's woes: global warming, melting ice caps, dying species, etc. In between these two extremes are a mass of people that are not sure what to believe. Environmental sites, therefore, want to encourage activism and promote their message in the most effective way possible. The purpose of this study will be to look at these environmental sites and determine • The intended message of the site • The intended design theme • If the intended message and design theme are well matched A well-designed site will have a design theme that matches the intended message of the prose. This alignment of design and information will create the best experience for the viewer, and would drive the environmental sites purposes further. This paper will use a model of visual form/visual purpose connections based on the semiotic of C.S. Peirce. This paper will take his approach and apply it to environmental web site design and report on the effectiveness of these site's overall design purposes.